


Adrift in the Fields

by alixcat



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, I tried to make sure none of the combat was worse than how Matt describes it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:33:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24937609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alixcat/pseuds/alixcat
Summary: Sometimes even the best doesn't cut it, and when you get stuck up the creek without a paddle, you have to be able to ask for help.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 50





	1. An Evening of Casualties

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first full Mighty Nein piece so any feedback on how I wrote them is appreciated!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a long day of travel and some minor scuffles earlier in the day, the Mighty Nein face off against one rather unusual beast before settling down for the night. It takes some time to work it down, but not without dealing some damage itself. But is that all?

“Okay, this is pretTY HIGH!” The large, malformed beast reared up, leaving Beau riding on top of some it’s head and holding on to one of many, many branch-like horns. Caleb could barely see her as she rose 10, 15, 20 feet into the air. With a roar, it’s head shook back and forth, desperately trying to get the stubborn monk off of it. 

“TAKE THIS!” Two crossbow bolts fired from nowhere, revealing Veth behind a large boulder. A third shot sounded and was followed by a yelping “FUCK!” before the halfling disappeared from his line of sight once again.

“Get down from there, Beauregard!” Clutching a still-bleeding gash in his side, Caleb barely managed to stay upright. He searched through his bags, pushed aside the guano and sulfur bags he had been intending to use moments ago, and let out a different incantation. Sprinkling a pinch of dust over his hand, lodestone set in his palm, the creature writhed in pain, letting out an ear-piercing shriek. 

Suddenly, a large, colorful, serrated lollipop streaked across Caleb’s vision, followed by a blast of bright pink energy, leaving a glowing hue to the beast. “C’mon, Beau!” Jester yelled from somewhere behind him.

“Here goes nothing!” Beau’s voice was distant, barely audible over the chaos. Above them all, a small spark of blue energy ignited before bolts of electricity shot down towards the ground. 

As Caduceus rushed forward to his left, the faint buzzing noise that Caleb had eventually learned to drown out picked up suddenly as a cloud of radiant beetles shot out from the firbolg’s staff. As his attention was pulled to the side, three blasts of verdant green energy surged past him on the right. A yell echoed from the other side of the beast, out of sight but easily recognizable as Yasha’s, before a splatter of dark green blood splattered out into the air. 

Without warning, the creature lowered itself back to ground level, all six of its limbs splayed out amongst the cluttered group. Before he had time to think, Caleb was inside its mouth and being… chewed? It was not a pleasant feeling by any means, but the sensation didn’t last long as he soon fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

As soon as the beast had fallen, Jester rushed over to Caleb, the large diamond already pulled from her satchel as she held it above the gaping slash across his side. “Please, Traveler, please help him. Please...” The gem shattered to a million pieces, faint dust drifting down over the wound and making its way into every little tooth mark and crevice of the wizard’s travel-worn skin. The familiar faint green hands appeared, gathering the stray pieces onto the bleeding body. Artagan’s face appeared with a smile, and although his lips were unmoving, Jester could hear his comforting voice echo inside her head. _We can’t have your friends go dying on you now, can we? Don’t fret, little one._ With that, the hands pressed down through hers as they disappeared into the wound.

A moment passed. 

And another. 

Silence.

With a gasp, Caleb Widogast’s body tensed as life returned to it. 

“Are you okay?!” Quickly propping him up, Jester released her last bit of healing into his wounds before letting Caduceus take over. 

“I think I’ll-” Caleb’s unsteady voice was interrupted by a coughing fit. “I’ll manage.”

“Welcome back, bud.” Beau sat down next to Jester and patted Caleb on the shoulder, who let out a groan of pain. “Whoops. Right.”

“Guys that was a _really_ stressful fight.” Jester huffed, shoulders and arms moving with almost cartoonish exaggeration. “Like… we’ve been in stressful fights before, but I _really_ didn’t like that one.”

“Well, we better rest up before it gets too dark.” Caduceus helped Caleb sit up on his own. “I’ll start making some dinner. You look like you could use it.”

Seeing that the rest of the group was getting settled in, Jester couldn’t help but feel uneasy. “Does anyone else feel like there’s _more_ stuff out there? Like, maybe we should be on watch?” The group looked amongst themselves before looking back up at her. “I just… it doesn’t feel safe, y’know?”

“Would you like it if I kept watch with you?” Beau made her way up next to the tiefling and bumped their shoulders together. 

“Yea! We can be watch buddies.” Jester wrapped the monk in her arms briefly, both of them still covered in monster gore. 

Sitting (or standing) in silence, the group waited patiently as Caleb continued his spell. Assuming they were still a bit on edge from the recent death and subsequent revival, Jester wasn’t surprised to notice everyone still had their hands near their weapons. About five minutes in, something in the treeline near Jester rustled. 

“Hey, guys? I think there’s something out he–” Her voice was cut short as a long, spindled leg pierced through her chest. Followed by another. And another. Pulling itself from the tiefling’s now unmoving body, another creature approached the group. It’s face was blank, only two small slits where one would assume eyes would be. Below the smooth, bone-like surface was a large gaping hole with rows and rows of sharp, pointed teeth, which let loose a shriek.

* * *

“JESTER!” Beau’s shrill scream echoed amongst the silence, every atom in the air filled with anguish and anger. She sprinted over, the blood that pumped through her temple eliminating any other noise. Her elegant monk figure launched itself into the air, her staff functioning as a vaulting pole before landing on the face of the monster. “GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER!” Fist after fist made impact, before the monster eventually seized in place. “Don’t use any fire on this fucker!” Beau announced as she dropped down from the neck she had wrapped around, making her way towards Jester’s body to get between it and her.

“That doesn’t leave me many options!” Beau could see Caleb still on the ground at the campsite slamming his spellbook shut and reaching into a pouch. After all the time spent with the wizard, it didn’t take much for Beau to recognize the molasses being spread across his hand as the beast began to move even slower.

“FUCK YOU!” Nott darted around to the right of the group, ducked behind a tree, and briefly disappeared before letting loose a shot. It hit about two inches above where Beau was standing. “Watch out, Beau!” 

“Thanks for that!” Looking around frantically, Beau could see the rest of her party laying into the monster next to her. Flashes of magic from Caduceus’ staff, the splatter of blood scattering through the air as Yasha cut across it, and bolts of energy shot from Fjord left it in pretty dire condition. Still standing over Jester’s body, adrenaline and worry running through her veins, Beau stretched her neck before sending it to its death with three more hits.

Without the threat present, Beau began to drag Jester back to the campsite. “Cad, get out your diamond.” Beau was kneeling over the dead body, her emotions held back but only barely. No one made a move or sound. Beau’s voice was hard. “Caduceus?” 

He let out a sigh that scared Beau more than anything else that night. “We used the last one on Caleb.” All eyes turned to see the wizard sitting on the ground, spellbook in his lap, eyes unfocused the way they do when he casts.


	2. A Night of Mourning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While coming to terms with recent events, the Mighty Nein are left with a body and their thoughts.

Silence. 

Everyone was huddled together, eyes locked on the surrounding foliage, nothing on their minds except the need to protect each other from whatever else might appear. 

Ten minutes of tense quiet later, the dome engulfed them all with a slight thrum, prompting a collective sigh to fill the air. Everyone relaxed and let their shoulders slump as they saw the still-dead body of Jester in the middle of them. Caduceus had gone over and cast something, and for a moment Yasha was hopeful that he had pulled off a miracle. But nothing changed. 

As everyone collected themselves, Caleb began to prepare himself for the night. He was even quieter than usual, and more distant as well. At first, one might assume it was from the ordeal of being revived, but Yasha couldn’t help but think there was something else to it.

“Why aren’t you making the teleport circle? We need to get to Rosohna, or Zadash, or Nicodranas, or even Rexxentrum for fuck’s sake! We need to do something!” Beau’s arms were gesticulating wildly, only barely distracting from her face that was contorted with emotions. Yasha shared her restlessness, too. They needed to do  _ something _ .

Without a word or a glance, he pulled up the pouch of chalks, only to reveal that it was empty. The little bits of dust left made a small cloud as it opened before Caleb tucked it away again.

The whirlwind of arms stopped. “Oh.”

The mood of the group dropped lower, as if that was even fathomable. Reluctantly, they gathered themselves together, Jester in the middle of them all. Finally taking a moment to really  _ look _ at her, the pits in their stomachs grew tenfold. The look of terror and distress on her face was haunting them all, and before anyone else could act, Yasha took her cloak and laid it over the body. 

Veth spoke up from her spot amongst the pile. “Can someone at least call for help? Send a message to Yussa, perhaps?” 

Caleb let out a chuckle, a sad chuckle, the only noise he had made aside from his casting. “I do not think that he would be particularly interested in traveling all this way just to get us a diamond, but maybe that’s just me.” The look on his face was distant, the half-hearted smile not reaching to his eyes. 

“Do you have any other suggestions?” Fjord was sitting up tall, looking away from the group, still on watch. “If we can't teleport out, we need to either make our way back or try to get someone to come save our asses.”

“We could ask Essek,” Caduceus chimed in.

“We are  _ not  _ getting Essek.” Veth protested. 

Fjord spoke up again, still not facing the group. “I agree with Caduceus. He said he wants to do good with us, and he obviously wants to prove himself to us. Plus, we are in need of some help.” 

“Whatever we’re doing, we need to do it now.” Beau was pacing around the dome, tense energy coming off of her in waves. “Who are we calling? I don’t care if it’s Essek, Yussa, or even fuckin’ Ludinus. Whoever you want, just make the call.” 

Caduceus and Caleb shared a glance before the wizard shook his head. “I don’t have it prepared today.” 

“And I don’t think I have anything left in me.” Caduceus looked down at the vague lump of cloak that covered Jester. “I used up the rest to heal up Caleb.” Yasha could finally name the other thing she saw on Caleb’s face;  _ guilt _ .

The group grew still once again. They didn’t like sitting there, unable to do anything. One by one, they all eventually turned in for a night’s rest. Beau and Yasha were the last two to do so, with Fjord still on watch.

“She’ll be okay.” Yasha put a hand on Beau’s shoulder and rubbed slightly with her thumb, trying to think of something she could do to help. “She’s strong, she’ll be fine.” She couldn’t tell if she was comforting Beau or trying to reassure herself. 

“Yea.” Beau was curled up, knees tucked to her chest. “If I had just paid more attention–“

“We all could have paid more attention, I think.” Yasha cut her off before the thought could form any more. “It’s not your fault...” She didn’t know how to finish the sentence, so she just let it hang. The two sat together, looking at the ground between them, the bloody cloak a reminder of what lay beneath. Eventually, after some more pondering, they laid down for the night.

The night was restless for everyone. Any noise made the whole party sit up, tired and drowsy, before Fjord urged them to go back to sleep. They all were huddled even closer than usual, sticking to the middle of the dome, hoping that whatever lay outside would give them the kindness of staying far away.

* * *

It was a stressful watch. Even with the dome to protect them, Fjord couldn’t help but think about all the different what-ifs spinning around in his head. There was nothing to do aside from trying to keep his mind from wandering too much. No need to worry about if a Kryn worm broke out beneath them and killed them all… or some sort of weird dire badger-mole abomination got hungry and smelled them out… 

He kept looking back at the group, watching each of them carefully for the rise and fall of their chests. For a moment, he thought he saw Yasha’s cloak move as well, but after staring at it for another five minutes, he dismissed the idea. 

Even though he did his best to keep his thoughts in check, he couldn’t help but think back to what it felt like that night on the ship. The cold that washed over him. The nothingness that encompassed his mind as he slipped over the edge. The warm, tingling shock that spread across him as he was brought back from that abyss. It had felt like hours, minutes, and seconds all at once. 

He finished the watch before gently waking Beau, trying not to startle her. The look in her eyes gave him pause, and now that he was closer, he could see the sweat on her brow and temple. She blinked hard and shook her head, staring at the ground in front of her. After a few seconds, she made her way to the edge of the dome without a word. 

Slowly and silently, Fjord got ready to rest, and found a spot amongst the mound of mostly-breathing bodies.

* * *

It was a  _ bad _ dream. 

It felt like a stun mixed with petrification, neither of which was a sensation she enjoyed, and definitely not combined. She tried to move, tried to act, but her body wouldn’t comply. Instead, she was standing there, watching Jester fall over and over, first in slow motion, then more rapidly, then from different angles. Just the same thing on repeat. Over. and. over.

It stopped. 

Jester was lying there, face hard with anger but soft with sadness. Her lips didn’t move, her eyes didn’t blink, her chest didn’t rise or fall. But her voice carried, from somewhere far away;  _ How could you let this happen again? _

She was on a road. She could move. The high grass nearby seemed familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. There was a caravan behind her that she could hear, but every time she went to look, her head stopped just before she could catch a glance. Forward seemed the only way to go, so forward she went, spotting some sort of mound on the horizon.

It clicked.

The hills. The old rotted tree. The road they had spent so much time staring at, planning.

She ran. Ran as fast as her monk form could carry her. _I need to warn them. I need to save them._ _They need to know._ Her brain was empty, her friends down the path the only thing she could think of. She got closer, and just as began to see the silhouettes crest the horizon, she made a last-ditch effort to get a glimpse of the approaching caravan, the world around her beginning to shake before-

Beau’s eyes shot open and there was Fjord, gently shaking her awake for her turn on watch. She tried to think, tried to concentrate, but all that came to mind was the sight of Jester’s body being juxtapositioned with Molly’s. Her head was hot and her eyes stung. Shaking her head, she forced the thoughts away.  _ They need me now, **here** , not back then. _

Swapping places with Fjord, she pulled on her goggles and looked out over the fields around them, forcing her mind to think of anything aside from the increasing tally of friends she had failed.


	3. A Morning of Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a moment of need, the Mighty Nein reaches out for help.
> 
> Warning: Description of feeling crushed (one line)

Essek had gotten used to waking up at odd hours to Jester’s messages. He had gotten used to being interrupted in the middle of his work by her bubbly voice. What he _wasn’t_ used to was being in the process of getting ready for the day only to hear the sound of Caduceus’ voice cut through his mind. Something was most definitely wrong.

“We need a diamond worth 500 gold. We’re 102 miles north-north-east of Pride’s Call, and we need your help.” The message was succinct and had a seriousness to it he wasn’t used to hearing from Caduceus. His mind was spinning out of control, but he tried his best to formulate his thoughts. “Uh, well, yes. Of course. Anything for you all. I will do my best to arrive there shortly.” 

The fact that it wasn’t Jester was already bad enough, but asking for a diamond...? He didn’t give the thoughts time to linger. Hurrying to finish dressing himself, he rushed out of his towers and down the street. 

The nearest component shop would be opening in about five minutes, but there was a jeweler across the way that he was sure would have already opened for the day. A small bell chimed as he pushed open the door, and Essek couldn’t help but feel another pang of sadness as the fond memories that often followed the chimes at the Xhorhaus came barreling to the front of his mind. 

Concentrating on keeping his voice calm, Essek dug his fingers into his palms beneath the mantle as he approached the counter. “Do you have any diamonds that are worth about, say, 500 gold? It is–” _Deep breath, Thelyss._ “Urgent.” 

The jeweler gave him a once-over with a look of concern lingering in their eyes, and he realized that, in his efforts to not have his voice falter, his face had become quite contorted. Taking another moment to restore a facade of sensibility, he spoke again. “I am in uh… a bit of a situation with an acquaintance and I need to ensure that it is of the highest quality.”

“R-right away, sir!” The concern was replaced with faint confusion, but it was only a minute before the gem was collected from a storage case and packed up for safe transport. “This... acquaintance of yours must mean a lot to you.”

“Indeed she does.” With a curt nod and as much of a smile as he could manage, Essek was headed back out, forcing the stinging in his eyes to calm. 

His desire for expediency outweighed his care for social appearances, so in true Mighty Nein fashion, he found an alleyway to duck into while beginning to mark the sigils for a Teleport. _It’ll be a miracle if this works at all._ His mind was rushing at a thousand miles an hour. He could barely remember where Pride’s Call was in the Empire, and did Caduceus say it was _north_ -north-east or _east_ -north-east? _If only I had Caleb’s memory..._

The sigils flared to life as his autopilot finished the spell. His stomach lurched as he was pulled through space, weightless yet pulled in every direction. His body began to crush in on itself without warning, the full force of gravity threatening to squeeze the life out of him. Then, it stopped.

* * *

Beau angrily stomped back into the dome, returning with Yasha from her third perimeter check in the last thirty minutes. “WHERE THE FUCK IS HE?!”

Caduceus gently put a finger up to his mouth and made a patting motion with his other hand, akin to how one would treat a child throwing a tantrum.

“Where. The. Fuck. Is. He.” Beau stage-whispered through gritted teeth. 

“If you would like, I could try to scry on him.” The firbolg’s low voice carried just enough to be heard across the group. 

“What if he isn’t actually gonna come?” Veth’s comment was met with five pairs of eyes staring back at her. “I’m just sayin’!”

“I do not think that he would lie to us about this.” The sincerity and emotion behind Caleb’s voice was palpable. 

“He did seem to be telling the truth when he said he would be willing to help.” Caduceus’ ears twitched just before his eyes began to unfocus. “Oh. Alrighty. Well, I’m sure we can think of something. Just a moment, please.” The firbolg returned to himself and addressed the group. “Essek thinks he’s near, but he needs a way to find us.”

Fjord sat up from his bedroll and stretched, regretting it as he felt his muscles ache with the movement. “Could we put something outside for him to Locate while we stay in the dome?” _So we don’t have to risk dealing with those creepy things again._

“Here.” Caleb began to delicately remove the scarf from around his neck as he spoke before holding it up. “Would one of you mind putting this out? I would myself, but then the dome would–” He made a small explosion gesture with his empty hand. 

“I’ll step outside and let him know.” Caduceus smiled as he took the wad of fabric and exited the dome. His even-keeled voice only barely reached Fjord’s ears. “Caleb says you should be able to use Locate Object to find his scarf. I’ll have tea ready when you get here.”

* * *

It was another 20 minutes of wandering before the scarf pinged. As soon as he noticed it, Essek began to run full speed, his legs getting sore almost immediately. As he closed in on the group, he let himself slow enough to catch his breath. He could see the dome ahead, and he was immensely thankful for how hard it would be to blend a half-sphere in with terrain that’s only flat land and sparse trees. 

Before he had fully reached the outside, he noticed Caduceus’ head stick out of the dome, followed by hands holding a cup. “Hey there. Caleb said you can’t come inside, something with how the spell picks who gets access–”

“I am aware of the parameters of Leomund’s Tiny Hut, do not fret.” Essek hoped his labored and uneven breathing covered the tiny jab of pain he felt. After taking a moment to catch his breath, he reached into his bags and procured a large gem. “I have the diamond you requested.” 

Caduceus held out the tea with one hand and extended the other one. Placing the diamond gently in the firbolg’s large palm, he took the cup and sat down, leaning his back against the cold, hard surface of the dome.


	4. An Afternoon of Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A final resolution to the looming worry.

Essek didn’t know exactly how long it would take. He hadn’t ever been near a resurrection ritual. Why would he? He didn’t have any useful reason to be at one, not to mention it wasn’t exactly a realm of magic he was particularly concerned with.

But now he wanted to join them. He wanted to be there for the people that were the closest he had to friends, even if they didn’t care for him anymore. He knew Caleb could have recast the dome to let him in. He hadn’t expected him to, but a part of him still hurt knowing that they’d rather leave him alone with whatever creatures had caused them so much struggle the night before. 

Instead, he waited, feeling the thrum of magic in his bones swell to an almost unbearable strength, anticipating a sobbing that never came, and hearing only fragments of the whispered prayers that were being lifted to the gods.

* * *

Jester felt… alive. Her eyes opened to bright sunlight flowing past six silhouettes, all leaned down over her. As soon as she began to stir, all the figures crushed into her, nearly pushing the little air she had in her lungs back out.

After a few moments, she could hear quiet sobbing, and as her mind came back to her, she began to realize what had happened. “Hey, guys? What happened?” Caduceus slowly pulled everyone off of her before helping her sit up, and she couldn’t help but feel strange at the lack of pain she felt when moving.

“You uh. You died, Jess.” Beau looked away, her eyes creased in a worry that she’d never really seen before. “We were out patrolling and… you died. And we didn’t have any diamonds or chalk or spells left, so we had to wait until morning to call Essek and–”

She shot up off the floor, pushing aside the rest of them. “Essek?!” Looking around, she spotted the slumped form of the elf leaning on the outside of the dome, and she could swear his ear turned ever so slightly towards her when she said his name. 

The air’s temperature shifted as she stepped past the boundary of the dome, and as she spun to face him, she realized that Essek hadn’t been able to see her approach through the opaque dome. 

She knelt down in front of him, hands resting on his shoulders, and only then did he look up at her. His eyes were red and puffy, a weakness she hadn’t seen from him before, even in the hull of the Balleater. His face lit up with joy as much as she imagined it was able, and she couldn’t help but pull him into a hug right that instant.

It took a moment, but he eventually settled into the embrace, hands awkwardly resting on her upper back. A sigh coursed through his body, leaving him slumped in her arms. “I’m glad to see you are okay.”

She leaned out of the embrace, holding his shoulders at arms’ length. “Well, y’know, it’s all thanks to you. You saved me, Essek.” He smiled in a way she could only describe as sad but relieved, his face blatantly saying he didn’t believe her. “Without you, I would still be dead. Thank you.”


End file.
